American Fiction: The 20th Century (ENGL40015)
HonoursPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
| Availability | Semester 1 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
In this subject students will study a range of major works of American fiction from the twentieth century in their historical contexts. Examples chosen range across the movements of realism, modernism, postmodernism and neo-realism. Students will be encouraged to identify and trace a number of themes that reoccur over the century and which seem important to American writers. The list is not definitive but may include such ideas as the role of the writer and fiction, the problems of gender, sexuality, class and race but also war, consumerism, surveillance and authority, the environment and technology. Drawing on class readings, class discussions and critical articles they will develop their own essay topics.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students should:
- be able to demonstrate a familiarity with some of the key texts of 20th century American fiction;
- have a broad understanding of the political, social and cultural changes affecting American fiction from the early to the late early-20 th century and how these have influenced the subject matter and styles of 20 th century American fiction;
- have an overview of some of the more important and critical and theoretical works issuing from North America and how these can be usefully applied to the reading of American fiction;
- have acquired a transportable set of interpretative skills;
- have developed their capacity for independent research;
- have developed their capacity for critical thinking and analysis; and
- have developed their ability to communicate in writing.
Generic skills
At the completion of this subject, students should gain the following generic skills:
- the ability to critically analyse and discuss a wide range of reading materials through participation in class discussions, the reading of critical essays and the writing of a class paper and an extended scholarly essay;
- the ability to both develop and modify one's thinking by participating in class discussions and writing an essay that requires one to respond to literary critics ideas;
- the capacity for independent and targeted research as a result of preparing a class presentation and writing a scholarly essay;
- the capacity for creative thinking through participation in discussions and the writing of essays that apply critical and theoretical ideas to the reading and interpretation of texts;
- the capacity for making ethical judgements and informed political choices as a result of engaging with and discussing texts by people from different social and cultural backgrounds to oneself;
- the capacity for critical self awareness through participation in discussions and the reading of critical texts that acknowledge where one's ideas and assumptions come from as well as what kinds of social privileges one enjoys;
- the capacity for lucid and logical argument as a result of careful essay planning and writing;
- competency in the use of library and other information sources such as on line websites and search engines through the researching and writing of essays that require the use of these resources; and
- the ability to organise oneself and manage one's time efficiently and effectively through the successful completion of a class paper and a written essay by the due date.
Last updated: 4 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
ENGL40015 The Black Presence in American Fiction
ENGL40015 American Fiction: Cooper to Cather
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
A piece of written work
| Mid semester | 30% |
A piece of written work
| During the examination period | 70% |
| Hurdle requirement: Students will also be required to give a class presentation and attend a minimum of 80% (or 10 out of 12) classes in order to qualify to have their written work assessed. Any student who fails to meet the hurdle without valid reason will not be eligible to pass the subject. All required written work must be submitted in order to pass the subject. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Essays submitted after the due date without an extension will be penalised 2% per day. Essays submitted after two weeks of the assessment due date without a formally approved application for special consideration or an extension will only be marked on a pass/fail basis if accepted.
Last updated: 4 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Anne Maxwell Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total 24 hours: a 2-hour seminar per week Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 contact information
Time commitment details
170 hours
Last updated: 4 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
A subject reader will be available.
- Summer (E Wharton)
- Love Medicine (L Erdrich)
- Passing (N Larsen)
- The Bluest Eye (T Morrison)
- Mother Night (K Vonnegut Jr)
- The Left Hand of Darkness (U Le Guin)
- The Road (C McCarthy)
- The Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (J Diaz)
Recommended texts and other resources
- The Cambridge History of American Literature Vol 5
- The Cambridge History of American Literature Vol 6
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Specialisation (formal) English and Theatre Studies Specialisation (formal) English and Theatre Studies Informal specialisation PD-ARTS English and Theatre Studies - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 4 November 2022